So the Russians are claiming that the Ukrainians are gonna blow up the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and then blame it on Russia. That’d certainly be a neat trick for the Ukrainians, since the Russians occupy and control the place. Ukraine claims the Russians are going to blow it up and blame it on Ukraine, but it seems that the wind would tend to blow the fallout into Russia.
Ukraine, Russia accuse each other of planning to attack Europe’s biggest nuclear plant
There have been two similar “false flag” attacks in this war: the Nord Stream pipeline and the Kakhovka dam. Small problem… sober analysis seems to indicate that both of those were destroyed by incompetence and/or neglect rather than direct action. But the nuclear power plant is shut down; it should be nicely inert. So if it explodes… somebody exploded it. Who is more likely to do that, Ukraine or Russia? Ukraine could probably only pull that off with some sort of major assault… a lot of troops, planes and armor, aided by HIMARS and the like raining down. While possible, that could hardly be disguised as a Russian attack. And of course, Ukraine wants the reactor back. It’s theirs, after all. Never mind the environmental devastation of its destruction, it’s worth a bucket of cash. Repairing it would be cost prohibitive, and resuming power generation would be an economic boon.
On the other hand, the Russians could well have mined the place. At the push of a button their could turn it into garbage.
Why would they do something so crazy? I dunno. Ask Prigozhin. Why do Russian military/political leaders do *anything,* and is there anything resembling reason, logic or sense to it?
If it happens… things will likely get sporty. An attack on Ukraine is not an attack on NATO. But intentionally causing a reactor meltdown or setting fire to spent fuel rods? That *might* send clouds of fallout over Germany, Poland and the like. They could consider that a radiological attack, and might invoke Article 5. And then it’s NATO vs Russia.
6 responses to “Chernobyl 2: Radiological Boogaloo”
Once again, everyone forgets how Russia views this conflict, this is an existential one for them. As unpopular as Putin is in some quarters, the one thing most Russians agree on is they don’t want Europe on their western border, and there isn’t much they won’t do to prevent it. This includes blowing up power plants and using actual nukes. If NATO is so foolish to enter the conflict, that’s quite possibly the end of everything.
A better solution is to withdraw from NATO and make popcorn and watch Europe flail about.
There’s nothing in Europe that’s worth risking a wider conflict.
Bailing on NATO when there’s an actual threat is the height of cowardice. Nobody would ever trust the US again… and nor should they.
And what’s worth saving in Europe? How about western civilization. Most of the world *isn’t* that. Letting Europe fall to ruin, handing it over to the savages, would be a major step towards setting all of humanity back into the Stupid Ages.
there is one thing you are leaving out..what is the fallout of America not being people of their word?
we said we would defend ukraine. we also said we would defend NATO. if we back out of those agreements, if people think we are no longer people of our word, the whole thing falls apart.
don’t like every tin-pot dictator having nukes? well, that’s about to happen. “america won’t do anything about it, and all our neighbors have probably started a nuke program since the americans won’t protect them, so we had better do the same”
if it isn’t nukes it’s chemical or biological. because 1)who’s going to stop them and 2)we no longer have america to either come and make us stop or back us up when our neighbors do it
I actually had a good idea..let’s call it Americanus Industria Pacem..peace through american industry.
we become the gas station of the world. we set the prices. we run the show. take OPEC and throw them in the trash. you want gas? you need to be nice to the americans. sure, you could go elsewhere..but it will be 10 times as expensive and a lot more inconvenient. oh and your enemies..the ones who are nice to the americans? they just got a steep discount on their gas. you won’t be able to idle a truck and they’ll be using flamethrowers for fun.
while we’re at it, build Small Modular Reactors. build a lot of them. sell them cheap. install them for free. they can only be refueled in america. and we can throttle them or shut them off entirely, remotely, at any time. you like cheap electricity? you like being able to turn on the lights more than a few hours a day? be nice to the americans, and we’ll make that happen. misbehave and you’ll be in the dark faster than you can say “what do you mean the hostages are from michigan?”
we don’t have to be he world police when we’re the worlds source of energy.
You’re absolutely not wrong. We should make every effort to be an economic powerhouse. Partly because it’s a great way to live well… and partly as a way to be World Cop without being World Cop.
Russia starts acting up? Fine. American factories start cranking out $20 AK-47s, $15 RPG-7s, $20,000 T-80 tanks. Put the MiG 29 and whatever else into production. Not as good as an F-16, but every bit as good as the Russian original… and at a fraction the price. Flood the market with American-made Russian products. Then turn our gaze towards Beijing and smile *real* broadly.
In other news… cocaine has been found in the white house….I’m shocked!
It couldn’t be Hunters…he would have snorted it all on the way in…Karin’s on downers and anti-psychotics…so it isn’t hers…and Obama’s party-animal Secret Cervix men would have gone through it by now (trannies huff Nair with poppers).
I therefore think this is what Bush 41 had bought as a prop in his “Just Say No” address before hiding it in the one place Dubya wouldn’t find it—the library…. it’s also why Hunter didn’t find it either.
Oh, the little stash in the visitor area? That’s Jill’s…. otherwise she just doesn’t have the strength…Pat Nixon’s mommy juice just doesn’t set.
signed…McDonald Trump.
I thought I had bookmarked this for my Stupidity File, but I can’t find it …
A couple of months ago there was a news story (on CNN, I think) that asked “Will the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant become Ukraine’s Chernobyl?
I don’t know where America’s magnificent journalists think Chernobyl is …